32 THE YELLOW-THROATED WOOD-WARBLER. 



The Black Gum is seldom found of a greater height than from fifty to sixty 

 feet, with a diameter of about three. The wood is of little use, even for 

 firing, as it takes a long time to consume, affords no blaze, and burns dismal- 

 ly. A trunk of this tree falling into the water immediately sinks and re- 

 mains. Its foliage is pleasing to the eye, and in many parts of the Middle 

 Districts some are kept standing as shade-trees for cattle. The berries, which 

 hang in pairs, and sometimes three or four together, at the extremity of their 

 slender peduncle, are eaten in great quantities during winter by various spe- 

 cies of birds. 



THE YELLOW-THROATED WOOD- WARBLER. 



Sylvicola pensilis, Lath. 

 PLATE LXXIX.— Male. 



This beautiful bird absents itself from the State of Louisiana only for two 

 months in the year, December and January. When they return in the be- 

 ginning of February, they throw themselves by thousands into all the cy- 

 press woods and cane-brakes, where they are heard singing from the first of 

 March until late in autumn, sometimes in November. 



Their habits are very different from those of the Warblers, and are more 

 in general accordance with those of the Certhiae. They move up and down, 

 sidewise and spirally, along the trunks, branches, and even twigs of the tall- 

 est and largest cypresses, or such other trees as are found intermingled with 

 them. They are extremely active, in fact, fully as much so as the little 

 Brown Creeper itself. Like it, the)' suddenly leave the uppermost branches 

 or higher parts of the trunks, and diving downwards alight on the roots, and 

 renew their search after small insects and larvae. I never saw any of them 

 pursue insects on wing. 



The nest of this species is prettily constructed. Its outer parts are com- 

 posed of grey lichens and soft mosses, the interior of silky substances and a 

 few fibres of the Spanish moss. The female lays four pure white eggs, having 

 two or three purple dots near the larger end. I think they raise two broods 

 during their stay in Louisiana, but cannot speak of this as certain. The nest 

 is placed on a horizontal branch of a cypress, twenty, thirty, or even fifty 

 feet above the ground, and is with difficulty discovered from below, as it re- 

 sembles a knot or a tuft of moss. 



